Back on His Bike After Surgery

While Motocross racing, Gil Esquivel bounces and jerks around on his bike from the track’s rugged terrain. As a result, the Eagle Rock man has dislocated his right shoulder multiple times. After enduring the pain of his shoulder popping out four or five times and the debilitation associated with it, Esquivel visited a shoulder specialist to explore treatment options.

Esquivel, 24, was referred to Dr. Mark Getelman, an orthopedic surgeon at Southern California Orthopedic Institute in Van Nuys. Esquivel learned that he had torn the labrum and cartilage around the socket of the joint, most likely from a previous injury, which left his shoulder unstable and susceptible to dislocation.

Dr. Getelman determined that physical therapy would not help the injury, and he recommended surgery using the Bankart procedure. This is a surgical technique designed specifically to repair recurrent shoulder joint dislocations. During the procedure, the labrum cartilage is reattached to the bone and is sown in place using anchors and sutures to stabilize the joint.

Esquivel rehabbed through physical therapy for three months, gradually regained full range of motion, and eventually got back on his bike and back in competition with clearance from his doctor.

“I was back to riding within six months of surgery,” he said. “I haven’t had any problems with my shoulder and it’s just as strong as it was before. I had heard a lot of good things about Dr. Getelman, and for good reason.”




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